Did you know that 67% of nonprofits use a CRM to track donations and manage communications? This highlights the growing recognition of CRM as an important tool for your nonprofit’s success. However, using a new platform to build a sustainable source of income, and retaining vital donors while building relationships with new supporters can feel overwhelming. Keep reading to get our top picks for the best CRM for your organization.
Let’s be honest, most nonprofits — yours included — face various operational challenges every day. From navigating fluctuating fundraising trends to getting your messaging seen and heard in a sector saturated with appeals. However, 67% of nonprofits agree that using a CRM to track donations and manage communications is vital for their organization’s success. Choosing a CRM platform for your organization is a huge undertaking, starting with whether it should be cloud-based or on-site. The thing is, access to information shouldn’t depend on whether you’re in the office or not. This is why we love cloud-based CRM platforms. They’re powerful web-based tools that save you time, help you navigate complex donor communication, and offer data-led insights so your outreach efforts deliver the best results possible.
Finding the right cloud-based platform for your nonprofit can be overwhelming — there are so many options available. What should you look for? Well, to start, a great cloud-based CRM platform should scale with your organization. It should take the stress out of donor management so you can focus on the work that truly matters: furthering your mission and making a lasting impact on the lives of your beneficiaries.
We’ve curated a list of seven top CRM platforms, including why we like them, what to watch out for, and how much they cost. Let’s dive in!
Donorbox CRM is a cloud-based platform designed with your nonprofit in mind. Unlike on-premise CRM software that’s typically complicated and time-consuming to set up, our robust, data-driven platform can be set up almost instantly, giving you and your team access to a host of incredible features in just a few clicks. This means you have a purpose-built command center that streamlines your operations and makes managing donor data and fundraising easier — and you can access it from anywhere with an internet connection!
We love the intuitive, user-friendly interface that makes it accessible to even non-tech-savvy users. Plus, if you’re using any of Donorbox’s existing products, our CRM seamlessly integrates with features like Peer-to-Peer fundraising and Crowdfunding while offering you a host of incredible new tools.
If you’re using a traditional, on-premise CRM you’ll know that your data is only as current as the last update — an update that is usually made manually. With Donorbox’s cloud-based CRM, the centralized donor management system updates in real-time, so your nonprofit is empowered with accurate and reliable data and insights that elevate your fundraising. An integrated web-based email management system, AI Assistant, robust segmentation, action tracking, and comprehensive donation management; all ensure efficient communication, personalized outreach, and smooth donor engagement.
Donorbox CRM is a robust toolkit for nonprofits looking to maximize, well, everything, watch this video to learn how you can use this powerful CRM:
Cloud-based mail clients are nothing new, but Donorbox’s Mail Center takes it one step further, providing you with a centralized inbox for all your donor communication. Unlike traditional on-site CRMs that often require separate email systems, Mail Center allows you to read, write, add variables, and send emails directly to your supporters without leaving the Donorbox platform. Read more about Mail Center here.
While traditional, self-hosted CRMs may offer basic reporting, our AI Assistant gives you lightning-quick access to data-driven insights and reports on donor behavior, your fundraising strategies, and more. Plus, Jay·AI can summarize your unread email in Mail Center and rank them by importance so you know exactly what to prioritize. And when you’re ready to craft action-driving content, use Jay to generate copy that you can customize with built-in tools.
Get ready to simplify your decision-making process, save time, and stay focused on your mission with Jay·AI — something most on-site CRMs can’t match.
Meet your ultimate tool for game-changing donor segmentation. Unlike traditional on-site CRMs, which offer limited segmentation capabilities, Groups gives you access to a one-stop shop for rich, detailed segmentation. Your outreach will always be authentic, targeted, and personalized!
Our dynamic Supporter Timeline gives you a comprehensive view of your donor relationships in just a few clicks. Quickly see chronological interactions, manage supporter profiles, view transactions, and track new or updated recurring payments. Plus, you can seamlessly email supporters and Groups directly through the Mail Center while reviewing their timelines.
Traditional on-site CRMs can be headache-inducing when it comes to logging offline transactions. Usually, they require resource-intensive manual entry and complex processes. Thankfully, with Donorbox CRM, recording cash, checks, in-kind donations, pledges, and soft credits is so straightforward and completely integrated into the platform, ensuring your records are 100% accurate.
Have you ever tried to manage recurring donations on a traditional on-site CRM? It’s a challenge, usually requiring additional integrations, tools, and complex configurations to get the job done. That couldn’t be further from the truth with Donorbox CRM, everything you need to manage recurring donations is at your fingertips! From managing recurrence intervals to tracking giving behavior, and viewing detailed invoice history — all of it is seamless within our CRM ecosystem.
If you’re dreading moving your data to a new CRM, you aren’t alone. Luckily Donorbox CRM makes it easy to import any existing donor and/or transaction data. In just a few steps, you can populate your Donorbox CRM with crucial donor insights and never skip a beat. Learn more in this blog!
Looking for a built-in way to send powerful campaigns to your donors? Email Marketing, now in beta, helps you create custom email templates to send messaging that drives action. Use robust segmentation to target the right audience and track your campaign’s success with detailed metrics. Coming soon, you’ll be able to set up automated workflows to target donors at the right time. Learn more.
Donorbox CRM custom pricing plans start at just $75 a month. Current Donorbox users can get started here. New to Donorbox? Sign up today!
When it comes to nonprofit-specific CRMs, Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is a strong choice! Built on the Salesforce platform, this cloud-based CRM offers an exciting selection of features tailored to nonprofits, including donor management, volunteer management, and program tracking.
One of the things we really love about Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is how highly customizable it is. They’ve made it easy for your organization to tailor the platform to your needs — something that traditional on-site CRMs struggle with due to their rigid structures. It also integrates easily with a wide range of third-party applications, so you can build a comprehensive, agile tech stack. Plus, you’ll have access to reporting and analytics tools, so you can easily measure your impact and make data-led decisions from anywhere, without the limitations of on-site hardware.
Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud is an impressive platform, but it’s quite complex with a steep learning curve. This can make it an overwhelming choice if your organization has a smaller team without a dedicated IT department — an issue less common with simpler on-site CRMs. Again, if your organization needs extensive customizations or integrations, the costs can escalate quickly, which can become unsustainable in the long run.
Salesforce offers discounts through the Power of Us program, but costs add up quickly if you need more than the basic package or have a larger team. Take a look at their pricing here.
Bloomerang’s cloud-based CRM platform has a strong focus on donor retention and engagement. Its user-friendly design makes it easy to navigate, a distinct advantage over many traditional on-site CRMs.
One of Bloomerang’s biggest strengths is its simplicity and ease of use. While on-site CRMs often require significant IT support to create and access reports and insights, Bloomerang offers built-in donor engagement scoring, enabling organizations to easily identify their most engaged supporters. Plus, being cloud-based, it gives you better access to customer support and resources, ensuring users can maximize the platform’s potential without needing extensive technical expertise.
While Bloomerang’s CRM shines when it comes to donor management, it doesn’t offer the comprehensive features and integrations found in larger platforms. This limitation becomes challenging as your organization grows, especially if you’re used to the capabilities of a more robust cloud-based CRM.
Bloomerang’s CRM has a straightforward pricing model, based on the number of donor profiles you manage. Their tiered pricing makes it accessible for organizations of all sizes. Find out more about their pricing here.
Virtuous is a responsive cloud-based CRM created to help your nonprofit organizations build personalized experiences with your donors. It offers the kind of flexibility and efficiency that self-hosted CRMs really struggle to match.
We love its automated donor stewardship processes, that streamline managing donor relationships, making it easier to identify new prospects — something that’s usually clunky when using on-site CRMs. Their multichannel communications tools allow you to send emails, SMS, and direct mail all from one place, eliminating the need for multiple systems. Plus, with 360-degree donor views, you can see supporter information at a glance, giving you a solid understanding of your donors.
Virtuous knocks it out of the park in so many areas but its out-of-the-box design translates to a lack of customization that most cloud-based CRMs offer. This is a drawback if your organization needs a high level of customization.
Virtuous’ pricing is based on the number of contacts you have, with plans scaling as your nonprofit grows. They offer three pricing tiers and do not have a free trial. To find out more about their pricing, visit their website.
Neon CRM is another great cloud-based platform designed with nonprofits in mind. It offers a wide range of features from donor and events management, to memberships.
It’s so versatile, making it suitable for organizations of any size. We love the reporting features that allow you to track performance across various KPIs in real-time, a capability that’s so much more streamlined in a cloud-based environment compared to the often complex processes you’ll face with on-site CRMs.
Even though Neon CRM has a broad range of features, this functionality comes with a steep learning curve. Many users might find the interface a lot less intuitive compared to other cloud-based CRMs. It poses a challenge but the trade-off is the platform’s ability to integrate and evolve without the need for the costly and time-consuming upgrades typical of self-hosted systems.
Neon CRM offers tiered pricing based on the number of records your organization needs and the features you’d need to enable. Add-ons like event management and email marketing come at an extra cost making it potentially more expensive than CRMs with similar offerings. Find out more about their pricing here.
HubSpot is a household name in the marketing and business world, and its cloud-based CRM platform stands out as a great free, scalable option for your nonprofit. Hubspot’s CRM is a powerful marketing tool with great flexibility. It’s a compelling choice, even though it hasn’t been designed specifically for nonprofits.
It’s free, while still managing to offer decent CRM tools like contact management, email tracking, and basic reporting. If your organization is on a budget, this cloud-based option is a great choice. The scalability of HubSpot’s platform also ensures that as your nonprofit grows, your CRM can easily grow with you.
Because HubSpot CRM is not designed with nonprofits in mind, it will require additional customization to meet your organization’s unique needs. This can be a hurdle if you lack technical skills. Plus, its more advanced features like automations are only available in the paid versions, these costs add up as your organization grows, making it more expensive in the long run than other cloud-based CRMs.
HubSpot CRM offers a free version, which is good for small nonprofits. However, to unlock more advanced features you’ll have to upgrade to a paid plan. Find out more about their pricing here.
Blackbaud has a long-established name as a trusted brand in the nonprofit technology space. Its CRM platform can meet the needs of large nonprofits as well as educational institutions. With a wide range of features from donor management, to fundraising, and even alumni engagement, it’s a solid choice for larger organizations.
Blackbaud’s CRM is incredibly scalable. It’s perfect for managing the complex needs of large nonprofits. This cloud-based platform allows you to seamlessly access updates and integrations that traditional on-site CRMs struggle to match. Offering impressive analytics and reporting features, Blackbaud’s CRM enables you to track performance and make data-backed decisions with ease.
It’s a complicated and costly option, which is a considerable roadblock for some organizations. The features have a significant learning curve and lack the ease of use found in more intuitive cloud-based CRM options. You might also need to make extra investments in staff training to fully benefit from the system.
Blackbaud doesn’t offer standardized pricing. To find out more about the costs associated with their CRM, you’ll need to contact them directly.
Finding the perfect cloud-based CRM for your nonprofit takes a bit of research and a solid understanding of your organization’s needs. Your CRM platform should align with your organization’s goals, budget, and your team’s capacity to manage the platform.
Donorbox CRM is the perfect option if you’re looking for a platform that’s easy to adopt, designed specifically with you in mind, and includes powerful fundraising tools. Its innovative design, seamless integrations, and focus on donor management make it an ideal choice for small, medium, and large nonprofits looking to streamline their operations and enhance donor relationships.
Get started here if you’re already a Donorbox user or sign up today!
If you’re looking for more fundraising tips, insights, and tools, check out our Nonprofit Blog.
Cloud-based CRMs come with many great benefits that help nonprofits thrive. We love how accessible they are — your team can access your CRM from any location, whether you’re at a fundraising event and need to access a donor’s data quickly or working from home and are interested in seeing how an appeal is performing. All you need is access to the internet and real-time data updates are a click away. Cloud-based CRMs designed with nonprofits in mind scale as your organization grows, have lower costs than on-site CRM platforms and have automatic software updates.
While costs vary from company to company, cloud-based CRMs for nonprofits usually have lower fees than traditional CRMs. Costs are often subscription-based and determined by the number of constituents or donors your organization has, features you need, and additional integrations you might need to add. Some companies offer all-in-one packages where features don’t come at an additional cost, while others have feature-based tiers.
One of the best things about cloud-based CRMs is how easy they are to implement. Like most nonprofit workers, your time is precious, but with a cloud-based platform, the implementation process is quick. Once you’ve selected the perfect cloud-based CRM for your nonprofit, simply navigate to the website, set up your organization’s profile or account, import your existing data, and link or integrate any necessary features. Your organization’s internal adoption will depend on the platform you choose, how easy its interface is, and how receptive your staff is to training and using the new system.
We agree! The data you have gathered on your donors is the foundation of your organization. While data loss may be a concern when using any cloud-based software, most software companies that design nonprofit-specific CRMs understand this. This is why cloud-based CRMs for nonprofits include regular backup and extensive data recovery features.
Your team has more important things to worry about, like managing donor relationships, planning fundraising campaigns and appeals, and so much more. Thankfully, cloud-based CRMs deploy automatic updates and upgrades as their system grows and new features are added. Software companies handle these updates and upgrades, allowing you to relax and focus on your mission, knowing your CRM is always performing optimally!
Nicole’s professional background is rooted in the nonprofit sector, where she’s honed her skills in communications, marketing, and fundraising. She has extensive experience in various fields, such as social media, content strategy, public relations, and more. Nicole has a deep passion for writing, editing, and gaining knowledge about the many causes that tirelessly advocate for essential societal change.
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Nicole Human